In an
age when Stormlings have only known peacetime, one man’s desperate action
threatens not only the stability of the mystical world of Mordana, but Earth as
well.

Teenager
Ophelia Drewe discovers a jewel that has been lost from its homeworld, and
whilst she thinks she can keep it, demonic forces believe otherwise.

She’s
not alone, but who can she trust? The head Stormling, Anadyr, hasn’t been to the
Earth in 500 years, but go there he must – if the jewel is not returned, it
will destroy both Ophelia’s world and his own…

John
Hennessy is a young adult / new adult novelist whose works to date have been
Dark Winter (published 2013), a paranormal horror thriller, and Stormling, an
epic swords and magic (and cookies) fantasy. The first short story he ever
wrote brought together Fagan, Lizzie Bennet, Sherlock Holmes and Dracula, which
despite impressing his long suffering English teacher, thankfully remains
unpublished. For recreation he will visit paranormal hotspots, but prefers to
write about ghosts rather than meet them. He also believes almost any problem
can be overcome so long as there is an inexhaustible supply of tea and
biscuits. He has also written the non-fiction title The Essence of Martial Arts
(published 2011), and released The Essence of Martial Arts: Special Edition, in
2014.

“Father,
we can go, can’t we? Please? Don’t you want to see who will win today?”

Aldyr
Veroynne knelt down in front of his son, and placed his hands on the boy’s
shoulders, squeezing them gently with firm hands.

“Anadyr,
please, give it a rest. That would be six days in a row. We know who is going
to win, anyway. You don’t need to come along. Just know that the winner is
always someone from Mill’An Draythe.”

“Still,
the Easterners come,” said Anadyr. “I must go to see how they fight, so that
when I have the glory to represent my land, I know how to win.”

Anadyr
had been just ten years of age when he became involved in his first fight,
against another young Stormling, as it happened. At first, it seemed like the
bigger and older Stormling would win, and had far too much strength for Anadyr.

During
the fray, Anadyr connected with few blows, but could not knock his bigger
opponent down. Then, with a swift kick to his mid-section, Anadyr’s strength
left him, and he rolled into a ball on the ground, one hand clutching his
stomach, the other, keeping his hair from covering his eyes.

The
sun was blocked out by the shadow of the Stormling standing over him, who must
was five years his senior.

“Loser?”
he inquired.

“You
wish,” replied Anadyr, who sat up, and clapped his hands three times
together before placing them on the ground, one hand either side of him.

“I
don’t need applause from a loser,” said the bigger Stormling.

“That
wasn’t applause,” replied the young Anadyr.

Suddenly,
the ground started to shake all around them, the bigger Stormling’s smug look
of apparent victory was erased by the tremors on the ground, and the almost
instantaneous appearance of black clouds that filled the sky.

A
few moments later, the clouds burst and soaked only the bigger Stormling and
his crew of friends, whilst Anadyr stood laughing at them. The group started to
run, but the rain lashed them in every way, from both sides, from above, and
even as they ran into the ground which became ever more sodden, until they fell
face forward.

“Why
isn’t it raining on you?” the biggest one screamed. “You’re in league with the
Lord of Monus! Say it isn’t so, for Stormlings don’t lie.”

Anadyr
smiled and leaned over his sodden nemesis, who he was merely toying with.

“That’s
right, Stormlings don’t lie, and I am not in league with anyone. So! Are you a
loser?”

The
bigger Stormling seethed. “So it would seem. Just make the damned rain stop.
Who are you, boy?”

Anadyr
clicked his fingers and rested his fists on the top of his hips.

“I
am Anadyr Veroynne, and I command the Storms. The wind, the rain, the clouds
all answer to me, and as for you….I will have your allegiance.”

The
other Stormlings mumbled, saying they would not answer to some preppy brat, but
the one who had hit Anadyr, stood up and bowed to him.

“I
am good with a sword, but my true prowess lies with the double daggers. My
skill is such that I could skim the sweat off a faerie’s wings. If you ever
need my help, you shall have it, although…one who can bend the Storms to his
will, surely has no need for an edged weapon.”

“Not
so,” said Anadyr. “In fact, I practise with a longsword twelve hours a day.
What is your name?”

“Kirnosst.
Though my sword wielding days are at an end. I’m being sent to Firetop to
learn, watch and ultimately take over from Aynara. Unlike us, she’s not an
immortal, but I suppose your father told you that already.”

Anadyr
nodded emphatically to show he knew about Aynara’s supposed mortality, but
no-one knew when her time would end. There were none like her on Mordana.

Aldyr
Veryonne was none-too-impressed with his son’s handling of things. “You wanted
him to knock you down, so that you could show off, isn’t that so? The truth
now, Anadyr.”

“I
just wanted to show I wasn’t afraid of them. If I can instil fear into the
heart of my enemies, maybe I can bend them to my way of thinking, as easily as
I do the storms.”

“You
are just a boy, Anadyr. You are too young to have enemies.”

“Didn’t
you say that those East of the Wisty River are our enemies?”

“Well,
yes, but I don’t see what that has to do with anything.”

“It’s
got everything to do with it,” said Anadyr. “That’s why I want to go see
the fight today. The Lord of Monus sends a Tryer from the Mordis Mountains, or
from the heart of Caldreah itself.”

“Yes,
Anadyr, but the point is-”

“The
point is, Father, that today’s Tryer is from AnnanGhorst, and that makes
things very interesting. I have never seen a ShadowWraith, much less seen you
fight one. Tell me you’ll take me, please!”

Aldyr
sighed. Putting combatants from the East out of their misery is something he
loved to do, but a ShadowWraith of AnnanGhorst was different. Even the weakest
of their kind were not to be taken lightly. Even if the Wraith lost, it would
be most likely sent to the Island of Dead Skin, where Andus Rey, ruler of
Caldreah Monus and a Stormling himself, ran his own sick tournament, where
combatants often had to fight to the death.

Having
a Wraith enter the fray was no battle at all. Under Rey’s watch, they would
win, and win easily. Aldyr let out another sigh. He was considering throwing
the match, even though this was illegal.

“Alright
Anadyr, I’ll take you. But whatever happens, you come straight back home.
That’s an order.”

“I
will, Father. I will,” said Anadyr, who could not believe there would be any
other outcome but a clear and decisive victory for his father, who was a
skilled swordsman and had been known to dabble in magic.

ShadowWraiths
were difficult adversaries for all sorts of reasons. Although they were scary
to look at, it was more a case of what you couldn’t see, rather than what you
could.

There
were all sorts of rumours about them, which, outside of AnnanGhorst, became the
very fabric of legend.

Some
would say that there actually were no ShadowWraiths, but that it was Rey
himself, who would come to test himself against the foes of Monus.

Others
believed the Wraiths did have a face, but it was one so terrible to view, that
one would die of fright from resting innocent eyes on their hateful faces.

Still
others believed that the ShadowWraiths could not be killed, and one had to have
a death wish if standing against them. But everyone who knew Aldyr Veroynne
believed that he must know how to defeat a ShadowWraith.

As
expected, there was a great throng of people in the town centre. They gathered
round the platform, which stood some twenty feet from the ground. The
ShadowWraith was already on the platform as Aldyr and Anadyr arrived.

As
they walked, Aldyr beamed smiles and waved to everyone. They had come to see
him triumph, which would be his thirty-eigth win in a row. The ShadowWraiths
had triumphed every time to date, but the locals felt it was time one of their
own succeeded.

The
Wraith extended a bony finger towards Aldyr, and beckoned him to stand on the platform
with him.

“Yes
Father, of course,” said Anadyr, who was surprised his father was making so
much of this battle. Winning fights is what Aldyr Veroynne was all about. ‘He’s
just morefodder from AnnanGhorst, who will slink back to that hellhole
when my father’s throughwith him,’ thought Anadyr.

Whilst
Anadyr watched the two men line up, a third man, the one who usually judged the
battles, pulled himself up onto the platform, and from underneath his robes he
produced a rather large wooden box. An omnious gasp came out from the crowd. “What?
What is it?” said the young Stormling. Anadyr craned his neck to see what the
commotion was.

The
judge extended his arms to the crowd. “Today’s battle is a red match. In
this box are two weapons from the challenger’s province of AnnanGhorst. The
fighter who represents us has agreed to the terms, and will use the weapon
provided to him.”

Anadyr
nudged the man next to him. “What is it? What is a red match?”

The
man solemnly shook his head. “It means that this is not for children’s eyes.
They will fight to the death.”

The
Spring Equinox brings a slew of nasties to the streets of Nashville. Huntress
Josie Hawk is determined to get her arch enemy to sign a treaty, whether the
Assembly is behind her or not. But when Keller O’Leary–sexiest vampire
alive–returns, will Josie learn to be a team player, or will she stake the
heart that has captured hers?

Josie
Hawk is a Huntress. A killer devoted to protecting the humans of Nashville from
the shadows that lurk in the night. But the shadows are gaining ground.

When
an infamous pixie tricks Josie into a drug-induced nightmare, Josie envisions
the death of her vampire lover, Keller O’Leary. Was the vision a threat … maybe
even a promise? But from whom?

Desperate
to track down the source of the toxic psychedelic pixie dust, Josie kicks and
punches her way toward the truth. But her efforts backfire, provoking a deadly
attack at Wolfie’s—the bar Josie co-owns with her sister-in-arms, Sage.

Tag. You’re it.

Haunted
by the threat to Keller, Josie scrambles to outwit her elusive opponent before
the deadly game escalates and claims more lives. But in saving Nashville, will
Josie lose those she loves?

Elle
J Rossi grew up in rural Indiana surrounded by great people, a huge family and
more animals than she could count. But the sites and sounds of the world
beckoned, so she left her small town to escape into a creative world full of
music. As a full time singer she was able to lose herself in a thousand
different songs in a hundred different places. After meeting the love of her
life and settling down, she yearned to find a new and fulfilling creative
outlet. Overly fond of the happily ever after, she wondered what it would be
like to have her own characters lead her down dark and twisted paths. The very
first word on the very first page sealed her fate. She’d found a new love.
She’d found her escape. Now along with weaving haunting tales about the journey
to love, she’s creating cover art for authors around the world and loving every
second of it. For fun, she cranks country music to take her back to her roots,
and sings karaoke anytime she gets a chance. Her husband, two children, and a
cat that rules the roost keep her company along the way and guarantee she
doesn’t get lost in the enchanted forest. She wouldn’t have it any other
way.

Crimson Beat
is a novella packed with heat that had my blood pumping fast and hot for the
all-vampire rock band. Wolfie's bar falls under the musical spell of this band
while Ostara, the Spring Equinox, sets the city on paranormal fire.

Mind you, this
novella should be read before Indigo Dawn. Josie Hawk is a Huntress bent on
keeping her emotional independence. Her vampire suitor has other ideas that
involve protecting Josie against her will and enveloping her in much
appreciated hotness.

Here is where
we get to meet the band: Lucian, Mathew, Alex, Grant. All are puzzles waiting
to be unraveled. I just hope they each get their chance.

Josie can
tolerate vampires as long as they behave in her city, but the look rather
suspicious one night when she finds them around a very dead body. She's also trying
to convince the Assembly to put up a team, both light and dark, to fight the
evil that prowls the night.

It gets
really intense on two accounts. One, Josie tries to deny her feelings for Keller,
her own hot vampire. To no avail. Their connection is too wild and deep. That
scene in the shower proves it. On the other hand, Josie has a big confrontation
with Cross, a mean man with meaner aims. She has to prove the Assembly she can
take control of the city and he may just be in the way.

The novella
is the perfect bridge to cross over to INDIGO DAWN. I wanted to read this book
because I had a taste of the author's writing style in Alabaster Nights, and I
was happy with it. Catchy story, strong characters. A good bet.

We have a
neat bunch of vampires patrolling the night alongside Josie Hawk. They have
some cool powers such as teletransport (dangerous business, it's always good to
know there are perils to the bloodsuckers lifestyle), and they play in a band
too! I nod at the fact that a vampire can be reflected on the surface of a
mirror. For the life of me, I could never understand why the traditional
vampire would not appear on a reflective surface. After all, they're made of
matter and they're not exactly ghosts, so why the weird invisibility?

Then there is
Josie. Bad-tempered, weaponized Josie who thinks she owns the city she's
honoured to protect. The city, though, is going to prove a challenge for her
these days. Or nights full of terror.

While
searching for the culprit behind an emerging drug market, the Huntress and the
vampire Keller test the power of their emotional bond. There are some steamy
moments that don't disappoint either.

What keeps
things interesting is the way Josie is bombarded with issues all the time. She
has to deal with the nasty drug effects in the population of Nashville, the
Assembly wants to control her, she still has to show her worth because she's
half human, and an uncanny power surprises the hell out of her. Still she's the
most badass Huntress and she fights to the end which, along with her naughty wit,
makes the plot pulse with energy.

The author's
strong and fun prose kicks the plot into a lively rhythm. It might give out the
impression that not much is happening at the beginning, but the main
character's voice is quirky enough to get us hooked on her musings and
misadventures.

A very
entertaining read with a blade-wielding, cool heroine, and lots of sexy
vampires, nasty pixies, regal witches, a half-starved shifter, and a drug lord
screaming for a painful execution. I loved the ending for its exhilarating
action and the promise of a power shift. Big things coming to Nashville!

In the conclusion to the trilogy that Publishers Weekly called “a roaring—and addictive—gothic world,” Eleanor Fitt must control her growing power, face her feelings for Daniel, and confront the evil necromancer Marcus...all before it’s too late.

He took her brother, he took her mother, and now, Marcus has taken her good friend Jie. With more determination than ever to bring this sinister man to justice, Eleanor heads to the hot desert streets of nineteenth-century Egypt in hopes of ending this nightmare. But in addition to her increasingly tense relationships with Daniel, Joseph, and her demon, Oliver, Eleanor must also deal with her former friend, Allison, who has curiously entangled herself in Eleanor’s mission.

With the rising dead chomping at her every move and Jie’s life hanging in the balance, Eleanor is convinced that her black magic will see her through to the bitter end. But there will be a price. Though she and the Spirit Hunters have weathered every battle thus far, there will be consequences to suffer this time—the effects of which will be irreversible. And when it’s over, only some will be able to live a strange and ever after.

Susan Dennard will leave readers breathless and forever changed in the concluding pages of this riveting ride.

This trilogy
made me swoon over the covers, but I want to shout and scream to the world that
it goes wildly beyond superficial beauty.

Rules to love
this trilogy:

- A fluid and
clever writing style that turns into frenzied and emotional action.

- A
mysterious, detailed and explosive plot that never ceases to surprise.

- A rich
period setting

- A brave
heroine who thinks, feels and acts on her own

-
Entertaining details that spark with Gothic and Steampunk flair

-A romance
that proves to be as difficult to attain as beautiful it turns out to be when
it's fulfilled

All these
things and many more make a great adventure that got better with each book.
Hurray for this crafty writer. Dear Susan, I know you suffered through your
writing, but let me tell you. It was worth everything 'cause you got one hell
of a story there.

The author
weaves a fast-paced tale of mystery, honor and dark magic set against a
surprising Victorian background. I was fascinated by the plot unfolding into an
investigation. In the first book, Philadelphia is drowning in a sea of corpses
that are barely contained in the city's cemetery, but the authorities are
trying to avoid too much scandal. After all, they want to preserve some
stability due to the Exhibition and all the powerful, rich people visiting its
technological wonders. Zombies are a
threatening plague, but there are so many other things going on! Among tea
parties, social gossip and motherly pressure, Eleanor strives to solve her
brother's disappearance before the city is run over by the Dead or her mother
suffocates her in rules.

I admire
Eleanor as a main character. She's not overly pretty, which is fine by me. With
wit and determination, she keeps digging and uncovers many dirty secrets that
lurk in the shadows of society and connect with the past. Clever, brave and
unstoppable, Eleanor is still a girl who makes mistakes and misses her brother
and falls in love with an impossible suitor. Whether she's fighting off zombies
by the dozen or cracking puzzles, she's a cook character. Love you, girl!

The plot
never wavers as it's full of mystery, action, and secrets to be discovered
about 19th century customs or devices, the city of Philadelphia, the
Exhibition... Lots and lots of events keep happening. The zombie part also
spins a new angle to the topic and connects well with an era that was keen on
séances and new technology that somehow
combines modern and steampunk notions.

Amidst the
crazy conspiracies, monster invasion and society pressure, there is also a
heartening pinch of romance. Nevertheless, it never smothers the importance of
the plot and it's the kind that is hard to come by.

At the end,
it all comes to an explosion of action, horror and sacrifice. It is
bittersweet, but also holds much promise for the future.

2

In very
dire circumstances, Eleanor has to face so many new challenges that I can't
imagine how she goes on. She does, and that makes for an incredibly exciting
second book.

- She's got
an exhilarating but worrying new power that weirdly makes up for something she
lost last time

- That power
will put her to the test morally and physically, and her loyalties too, both to
and from her friends

- She can't
trust anybody as family and friends desert and doubt her, and enemies pursue
her in the most horrifying and not always obvious ways

- The horror
gothic elements are ever present and get more and more intriguing

- She travels
on a ship and the interactions with the characters there start an amazing plot
line

- A
surprising and charismatic young man who brings up more mysteries to delight
the reader: Oliver, ah, Oliver.

Prepare to
enjoy a wild ride through the vibrant city of Paris, hungry Les Morts, an
intricate mystery, power-seeking enemies, horrifying magic, disorienting
temptations, a reunion with the fantastic trio of Spirit-Hunters, a Zeppelin
and fabulous French food. I gobbled this book up in a day. It's an amazing
combination of Eleanor's fall into dark powers, the search for an enigma hidden
in her brother's letters, and an impossible romance with inventor Daniel
Sheridan.

Though I have
to confess that my favourite character, besides valiant Eleanor, is Oliver. I
love his flippancy, his nature, his tragedy, his wit, his
far-from-subservient-yielding to commands.

The ending is
superb; an electrifying confrontation with the Dead, a blood-thirsty villain,
dark magic and sacrifices for loved ones. I am truly amazed at how good this
sequel is!

3

Nothing can
compare to the feeling of each book in a trilogy/series getting better than the
previous ones (even if they were so good to begin with). Pure bliss. I loved
every page of Strange and Ever After because it's brimming with rich and
unstoppable action, characters driven by strong emotions and connections, and a
plot that gets more textured, meaningful and deeper with every scene.

Such
startling beginning. Eleanor is still losing precious things in her life full
of sacrifice. I recoiled at the harshness that's exchanged between Oliver and
she. Their relationship is becoming dangerously painful. After they reach their
destination by airship (exciting Egypt!), the whole team embarks on a rescue
mission. Secrets that will help them in their quest are unearthed here, but at
an immense cost of magic and peril. There is an impressive and powerful
confrontation that left me breathless!

Even on the
third adventure, it still astounds me how tough things are for Eleanor. She's
challenged every step of the way. Not only must she face hordes of Dead and
countless dangers, but she's constantly questioned because of the dubious
nature of her powers. This is definitely not your standard damsel in distress.
She's fierce but flawed, she's in love but also independent.

My dears,
love blossoms at last. And it was as exhilarating as I'd hoped, as hard-earned
and deserving as a Shakespearean drama, but oh so bittersweet as well. Why, oh,
why Eleanor? And at the end... why, Susan?

The level of
action is unbelievable here and the torrential prose of the author just makes
it epic. The past literally wakes to pass knowledge to Eleanor. Everything
magical in this trilogy is so original and powerful. The addition of Egyptian
lore takes this adventure to a cinematic, legendary level.

I feel
captivated by the intimate, platonic, sad, violent passion that bonds Eleanor
and her demon Oliver. Really, sometimes I just wished Daniel wasn't in the
picture. Though their sweet moments of romance are incredibly beautiful too.
When they share dreams of a future in the darkest moments, for example. Still,
I love the romance in the story, but not Daniel himself.

I'm afraid I
have no words that will do justice to the powerful imagery the author conjures
with her talent. She creates raw emotions that break and make characters,
thrilling adventures, masterful depictions of magic and the inner workings of
the soul. She takes places and their cultures (Philadelphia, Paris, Egypt) and
mold them as allies to the plot in the most fantastic and exciting way.

And as it
should be, as it deserves, this book and this trilogy have the strangest and
most heart-wrenching end that I would have never envisioned. Oh, so terrible,
beautiful and sad. So much everything!

Unique. If
nothing else, and I assure you a hundred times over this story is
unconventional to no end, it is full of drama, action and emotion. I loved, and
suffered, and sighed with longing at that unfair ending. A fourth book, maybe?
A novella to soothe the pain? One can hope.

A
well-plotted, cleverly written trilogy about an unlikely heroine who rises to a
monstrous challenge and loses one thing after another while the Victorian world
she lives in falls under a Gothic, magical, necromantic, zombie-infested
mayhem. A boredom-killer for sure.

I am a writer, reader, lover of animals, and eater of cookies. I used to be a marine biologist, but now I write novels. And not novels about fish either, but novels about kick-butt heroines and swoon-worthy rogues (I reallylike swoon-worthy rogues).

I live in the Midwest with my husband and two dogs (Asimov and Princess Leia), and you can learn more about my crazy thoughts and crippling cookie-addiction on my blog or twitter.

My debut, SOMETHING STRANGE AND DEADLY is now available from HarperTeen along with the prequel, A DAWN MOST WICKED, and the sequel A DARKNESS STRANGE & LOVELY.

Look for STRANGE & EVER AFTER in summer 2014 and TRUTHWITCH in fall 2015!

Note: I am on Goodreads to READ. So, if you want to discuss books and the joys of literature, add me as a friend!